Sapphire PI-AM3RS785G 785G Chipset Motherboard Review

Introduction:

Since AMD released its newer 785G chipset, the mid-range market has blossomed with boards sporting this new chipset with better integrated graphics. The 785G chipset brings faster speeds to the table and the new HD4200 IGP boasts better onboard performance, especially when paired with SidePort memory, which gives the IGP its very own DDR3 memory buffer. The power of the chipset paired with the design of the board is what makes the difference when it comes to the selection. Today we are going to be taking a look at the Sapphire version of the 785G chipset, the Sapphire Pure PI-AM3RS785G motherboard. This board uses the mATX form factor and the newer chipset to provide you with a powerful multimedia platform. The Sapphire Pure 785G follows the previous IGP series board that Sapphire produced, which was based off the 780G chipset. With the newer chipset, this board should be faster and more powerful.

Closer Look:

The Sapphire 785G motherboard comes packaged in the Sapphire-styled green and black colors with the Pure logo. On the front of the box are some of the badges for the products compatible with the Sapphire 785G Pure motherboard, as well as some features such as being AM3 compatible and the 128MB DDR3 SidePort memory for the integrated graphics. It also shows that it features DX 10.1 and claims an "Instant on Boot" in Windows 7. When I contacted Sapphire about it, since there was nothing in the documentation, the response was "This sticker just indicates that this board supports DX10.1 and can support Windows 7. There is no other meaning or function on this sticker." As such, it appears to be advertising a feature that is not included; a no-no in my book. On the back is a picture of the motherboard, as well as some more features and awards that Sapphire has won for its products.

Once the box is opened up, you get to see what is included with the Sapphire 785G Pure motherboard. To get you up and running, Sapphire provides the I/O panel shield, the manual, a driver CD and two SATA cables. Sweet and simple.

Now that the board and accessories are out of the packaging, we can get a better look at the board itself.